World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) recently put the finishing touches on its final event of 2008, which will cap off the most successful year for the Zuffa-owned promotion.
WEC 37: “Torres vs. Tapia” fight card is now complete for the show scheduled for the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Wednesday, December 3, 2008.
Bantamweight champion Miguel Torres will once again put his 135-pound belt on the line against undefeated number one contender, Manny Tapia, in the main event of the evening. It’s a showdown that will more than likely spark major fireworks — both fighters like to get press the action and get down.
The rest of the televised main card has a few last minute additions and changes, showcasing several of the top fighters in the lighter weight classes, including recent acquisitions Akitoshi Tamura and Wagnney Fabiano.
That’s another great fight.
Here is the complete WEC 37 fight card:
Main event:
WEC Bantamweight Champion Miguel Torres (34-1) vs. Manny Tapia (10-0-1)
Main card (Televised):
135 lbs.: Brian Bowles (6-0) vs. Will Ribeiro (10-1)
145 lbs.: Akitoshi Tamura (12-6-2) vs. Wagnney Fabiano (10-1)
135 lbs.: Joseph Benavidez (9-0) vs. Danny Martinez (12-2)Under card (May not be broadcast):
170 lbs.: Johnny Hendricks (3-0) vs. Justin Haskins (4-1)
205 lbs.: Mark Munoz (4-0) vs. Ricardo Barros (2-1)
170 lbs.: Blas Avena (5-2) vs. Kevin Knabjian (10-3-1)
145 lbs.: Diego Nunes (10-2) vs. Cole Province (5-0)
155 lbs.: Bart Palaszewski (29-11) vs. Alex Karalexis (9-3)
145 lbs.: Hiroyuki Takaya (9-5-1) vs. Cub Swanson (12-2)
155 lbs.: Shane Roller (4-1) vs. Mike Budnik (7-0)
WEC 37 will air live on the Versus channel, beginning at 9 p.m. ET. It will signal the final event for the promotion that includes fighters who weigh more than 170 pounds.
As of 2009, the WEC middleweight and light heavyweight divisions will be dissolved and the top talent in both divisions will be integrated into the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) roster.
For more on WEC 37 feel free to hit up our event archive right here. Remember also that we will be your spot for the latest WEC 37 coverage before, during and after the fights.
23 Comments »
I know it’s free, but this is one of the weaker WEC cards in a while. They probably got screwed with the last one being put off, and it being so stacked. My guess is that some of those “bigger” names would have fought on this card too! Where’s condit?
i don’t know this one may turn out to be pretty good you got tapia vs torres and fabiano ribeiro and benavidaz are all sick fighters
It looks a little weak at first glance, but I can’t remember ever being disappointed in a WEC production. Besides, lots of people were saying the same thing about the last UFC card, and that one turned out OK.
Absolutely. At first glance to the casual eye, the event doesn’t look that great. HOWEVER, if you are into the young up and comers in the sport, DO NOT MISS THIS EVENT, and do what you can to watch some of the prelims.
Brian Bowles vs. Will Ribeiro is almost definitely a #1 contender match. Expect to see the winner of this fight take on the winner of the main event early next year.
Wagnney Fabiano vs. Akitoshi Tamura – For those of you that do not know if Wagnney is, its time to learn about him!!! This kid is for real, and you’ll hear me say that a few times throughout this post, but I’m being for real when I say that they are for real. Really! Wagnney is known for his brilliant BJJ but his last win came by a brutal KO. I would expect the winner of this fight to fight Urijah Faber in a #1 contender fight asuming that Garcia gets first crack at Brown and not an instant rematch for Faber.
Joseph Benavidez vs. Danny Martinez – I don’t know much about Martinez, but Joseph Benavidez is for real!!! He trains with Urijah Faber and he is his protege, his TOP student. I expect BIG things for Benavidez in 2009. I would think that being good buds with Urijah sure can’t hurt when it comes to pulling strings in the WEC.
Johnny Hendricks is a Team TakeDown fighter (Jake Rosholt, Shane Rollins). He has quite a personality as shown in the TapOut show. Being from Team TakeDown, you KNOW he can take the fight to the ground with his solid wrestling base. BUT, Johnny has REALLY been working his hands and wants nothing more than a KO, not a TKO, but a KO. Look for him to keep it standing as long as he is getting the better of it. But as soon as he catches a big punch/kick, he’ll put his opponent on his back.
Mark Munoz – Look for him to be welcomed into the UFC with open arms with a win over this nobody.
Blas Avena vs. Kevin Knabjian – Blas, the casino employee that always makes it onto the card. He is a good mid-tier WEC fighter that will never get a title shot. Knabjian, don’t know of…
Bart Palaszewski vs. Alex Karalexis – THIS is actually a fight that is worhty of being on a UFC Fight Night preliminary card. Both of these fighters made a name for themselves. Through IFL and TUF 1 respectively. As long as this fight stays standing, which it should, it potentially has Fight of the Night written all over it. SlugFest! I HOPE this one gets televised!
Hiroyuki Takaya vs. Cub Swanson – Is this REALLY a Cub Swanson sighting??? He fell off the face of the earth after getting choked out by Jens Pulver. A lot of talent, but possibly a bit too cocky for his own good. They are trying to give him a rebound win here.
Shane Roller vs. Mike Budnik is the prelim fight that I want to see just as badly, if not more so than Bart/Alex. Shane Roller is also from Team TakeDown. Mike Budnik you may not have heard of. BUT, I bet you heard of his cousins. Dan and Jim Miller. Both of these fighters have a lot of power for the 155 division. The winner of this fight will quickly find himself being televised next time.
In other words, EXCELENT FIGHTS by the WEC!!!! There is only 1 fight that I can really care less about, which I did not list above. The Main Event is a little lackluster with Manny Tapia, but you can never complain when you get to see Miguel Torres step into a cage or ring.
excellent post vm, i agree on all counts and for the people who don’t know the fighters you named here is your chance because they are the real deal.
VM: GOod stuff! I always defer to you when it comes to the WEC. U r correct about many of the fighters you mentioned. Fabiano’s Jits is top of the line. Bartimus vs. Karalexis better get aired….and the list goes on and on! Great card..Not the biggest names, but like VM said, full of young fighters that we all should take notice of!
got to hand it to you mike, you’re the man when it comes to wec events info!
Thanks guys! Unfortunately I got it up a pretty long time after the thread first started. I saved it as a word doc also so I can re-post it as the event gets closer and I am on the site when the thread first opens, some time during the week of the fight.
So is the 205 lb division gone after this event?
Yes.
probably what was meant by: “light heavyweight divisions will be dissolved and the top talent in both divisions will be integrated into the Ultimate Fighting Championship”
Sorry, I only read the first part.
lol, just busting balls, I do the same thing, a lot, and mania is always there to correct me!
Torres looks like a crack head but he sure can kick some ace. Torres in the 3rd sub!
this card is actually worse than UFC 91!!! wow, i dont know what PPV u guys watched on saturday night but the only two fights i cared about were over within 5 minutes combined (maia/quarry, stevenson/florian)
not like there 205 or 185 guys had much talent at all to begin with they might keep sonnen,filho,stann,and cantwell
i got tapia taking that belt but i wanna see the hendricks fight
lol they already dumped fihlo!
I would have liked to see Takaya/Swanson and Palaszewski/Karalexis on the main card.
yeah i hope they end up showing them
since when does bowles fight at 145?
bowles vs. ribeiro is at 135, not 145.
what happened to john grispi? wasnt he on this card?
holy God this card is good!
Munoz vs Barros is probably a UFC entrance match. If someone wins impressively they get a ticket to the big show.